Army Research Laboratory, ALC Procurement Division, ATTN: AMSRL-CS-PR-RD, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197

A -- NON-POLLUTING COMPOSITES REMANUFACTURING AND REPAIR FOR MILITARY APPLICATIONS SOL DAAL01-98-R-9206 DUE 032098 POC Linda Klein, Contract Specialist, (301) 394-3372, Carolyn S. Gonser, Contracting Officer, (301) 394-1604. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) intends to procure for the development of techniques and materials which will result in toughened electron beam radiation cured and electromagnetic induction cured structural resins and adhesives for the manufacture and repair of PMC components. In this effort, several non-autoclave resin curing and fusion bonding techniques, including E-beam and induction heating, shall be investigated. One objective of this effort is to assess currently employed resin systems in depot repair procedures to provide baseline target values. The effort will not develop new resin systems for alternative curing techniques; rather, the approach is to incorporate existing systems into new toughened structural resin and adhesive formulations. Electromagnetic and radiation curing methods will be investigated and optimized. Repairs on model systems will be conducted using baseline resin systems; these include materials currently being used in depots as well as the existing resin systems that are to be reformulated. Processing will be carried out by autoclave, as well as non-autoclave, methods. Results from these tests will serve to benchmark resin and adhesive and processing developments. Adhesives currently being used for depot repair of thin- and thick- section composites will be evaluated to provide baseline properties. Two major classes of radiation-curable systems will be used in the overall program. This effort will formulate the free-radical B-stage systems for improved toughness. Work will focus on developing a toughened E-beam-curable resin that can be processed by VARTM. Concurrent to the development of cure technologies, the co-injection RTM technique will be further developed specifically for repair and remanufacture. This will require the selection of appropriate material systems and an examination of the compatibility of the new materials and cure techniques. Environmental impact and cost information will be collected and analyzed on the baseline testbed applications. Procedures will be established for collecting information on the repair/remanufacture alternate procedures on an ongoing basis. Information will be collected and provided to the project leadership to ensure that the project remains directed toward the greatest reduction in environmental impact and cost savings. ARL intends to award a contract to the University of Delaware, Center for Composite Materials (UD-CCM), Newark, DE, 19716, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The anticipated period of performance is approximately 44 months (a basic effort of approximately 8 months and three 12-month option periods). The UD-CCM is uniquely qualified to perform this effort. The investigators at the UD-CCM are co-inventors of the ARL-submitted patent applications for technologies being used in this effort. UD-CCM also has world-leading in-house expertise in the development of B-stageable free-radical curing electron beam curing resin systems required for successful completion of the proposed work. Firms that recognize and can provide the effort described above are encouraged to identify themselves and give written notification to the Contracting Officer, and provide supporting evidence to the Contracting Officer, within fifteen (15) calendar days after date of this publication. The final determination by the Government not to open this requirement to competition, based on any information provided, is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a bid or proposal which will be considered by the Agency. No telephone requests will be honored. See Numbered Note(s): 22. (0042)

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